Brighton in TROUBLE according to our friends up the road

[Southwick_Seagull]

I'm not suggesting I'll be as clued up as any Brighton fan about your squad, like I wouldn't expect you to be about our mob.

I can only go on what I've seen, I think you're weak in those areas.

What have you seen of Marcos Painter, Gordon Greer, Adam El-Abd and Inigo Calderon that makes you think we're weak in defence?

 

[Trigger Finger]

What have you seen of Marcos Painter, Gordon Greer, Adam El-Abd and Inigo Calderon that makes you think we're weak in defence?

If you read my previous posts, I've put your weakness to be at centre back as opposed to full back. Painter and especially Calderon are good.

Adam El-Abd I see to be a cumbersome, clumsy player who whilst strong in the tackle lacks real anticipation and an ability to read the game. Greer is a good leader but prone to the odd moment of madness.

Strong in defence in League 1 does not automatically entitle you to the same status in the Championship. Centre backs are also only as good as the centre midfielders in front of them who'll do their screening and picking up of loose balls - in Dicker and Bridcutt I think you fall short. For all of their ability on the ball, I think their defensive game lets them down which will leave your defence exposed and over-run.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

I take your point that the stadium provides a strong selling point for your club. But as for on the pitch itself? It counts for nothing, Palace could play Brighton on a park pitch (Selhurst Park, I hear you predictably cry!). I can see why you're optimistic, I would be in your shoes but the Championship isn't a league to be taken lightly - many a club in your position have come up and fallen straight back through the trap door, for every Norwich fairytale there are the far more plentiful Scunthorpe and Peterborough horror stories.

Your signings? Meh. I think you've overpaid for Buckley and Mackail-Smith at this moment in time but if they combine to get you hatfuls of goals then it's money well spent, similarly with Hoskins who has been in this league and been diabolical, though perhaps a few seasons at League 1 has made him a better player - time will tell. You do, in my opinion, come up short in terms of quality and Championship experience at centre mid and at centre back and without adequate players (and cover) in such crucial areas, it could prove to be your downfall, no matter how many goals you might score. But there are many weeks until the window shuts.

I'm certainly not taking you lightly. We can crow all we like about getting Murray off you on a free but his lack of experience is a worry, as is his attitude which I understand can be questionable. We've the experience of this division as we keep on telling you which counts for a lot. As I said, roll on 27th September when bragging rights can be rightfully obtained as opposed to the pie in the sky talking from both sides.

A very informed (ish!) & balanced post TF. Fair play to you.

I wish I could spend a bit of time now debating your contribution, but unfortunately I've got to hit the sack due to a stupidly early start to my Tuesday. Anyway, I hope you pop back on here soon for some more intelligent banter. God knows: we need it as much as the next football message board, if the truth be known.

TTFN

 

[Southwick_Seagull]

If you read my previous posts, I've put your weakness to be at centre back as opposed to full back. Painter and especially Calderon are good.

Adam El-Abd I see to be a cumbersome, clumsy player who whilst strong in the tackle lacks real anticipation and an ability to read the game. Greer is a good leader but prone to the odd moment of madness.

Strong in defence in League 1 does not automatically entitle you to the same status in the Championship. Centre backs are also only as good as the centre midfielders in front of them who'll do their screening and picking up of loose balls - in Dicker and Bridcutt I think you fall short. For all of their ability on the ball, I think their defensive game lets them down which will leave your defence exposed and over-run.

Firstly I doubt Dicker will start, if the season started tomorrow I think he would start Sparrow. Bridcutt (and also LuaLua) have been made into totally different players under Gus, if he had been with us all last season he would have won Player of The Season. Yes it's a step up but you're making it sound as though no-one involved at this football club has a clue about football above the 3rd tier. Gus played at the very highest level, I don't think he's gonna be too surprised at what he finds in the Championship or doesn't know what to look for in a player to succeed at that level.

As for El-Abd and Greer I guess it's down to personal opinion, I actually think Adam reads the game well and only his concentration and height are possible weaknesses, both of which were not an issue last year. Greer is so good 99% of the time i'm willing to accept the 1% of the time he decides he's gonna lamp somebody.

 

[Davemania]

What's brilliant is that beyond the bluster and the bullshit, they're f***ing scared of us. The pisstake out of our stadium is predictable (it could've been the f***ing Nou Camp and they'd've taken the piss). The stuff about our players is fine, sure, a lot aren't 'proven', yet they seem to be missing the point and thinking Murray is? And you know what, they're probably right, we will have much harder games this season, and no, we didn't do that well against the top 4 in the league last year. But now we're the 'noisy neighbours' a la Man Utd/City, with a bit of money, a shiny new home and a few fans with billy big bollocks attitudes, they're scared, because they know how f***ing dire they've been the last few years and they've been able to ignore us and take it for granted they'd be higher than us in the pyramid all the time we were scratching around, occasionally flirting with the second tier whilst punching above our weight at the Withdean.

There are probably going to be a couple of occasions where we take a right battering this season, because the standard is much higher. But it's going to be a hell of a lot less batterings than their shower of shit will take, and whilst the vast majority of us would be more than happy with 14th (save a few who are IMO getting ahead of themselves thinking we'll shit the league and do a Norwich), they seem to think their '35 years in top 2 divs' gives them a divine right to finish above us. I look forward to teaching them a lesson, and watching their excuses come the end of the season. 2-0 Brighton at the Amex. 2-1 Brighton at Selhurst. Brighton 13th. Palace 20th.

"Forever in our shadow, one lucky season doesn't make a difference, mugged in both games, Poyet will be off soon, Dougie will turn it round, Murray's been unlucky with injuries, you're 10 minutes from administration..." blah blah blah ad nauseum ad infinitum. Wankers.

This...totally. Great assessment of the current climate

 

[osgood]

Neither. I think you'll be a Doncaster kind of side, which I'd take as a compliment given their commendable rise (whilst playing decent stuff) from League 1 a few seasons ago.

Still think you've been ripped off on the three players mentioned but time'll tell.

WRONG##Doncaster!
RIGHT##youre right pal, time Will tell...

 

[Davemania]

The only thing we've reason to be jealous of is your stadium. A mighty fine stadium to be rightly proud of.

But it counts for bugger all on the pitch. I can't wait for the bloody season to start - the 'banter' flying back and forth on here and the BBS is bloody dreadful and increasingly tiresome on both parts, and the school holidays haven't even started yet.

Roll on August 6th (and September 27th).

You know bugger all mate. We Should do you straight out the blocks this season both games, if not we sure as hell will in ALL the coming years. ALLLLBIOOOONNN!!!!!

 

[Triggaaar]

the Championship isn't a league to be taken lightly

Indeed it's not, there are some great teams in the division this year, it's going to be great.

Your signings? Meh. I think you've overpaid for Buckley and Mackail-Smith at this moment in time

On what basis? Peterborough had similar offers from Leicester and West Ham, I don't suppose you've seen him play many games.


Every club has their share of deluded fans, but that is a strange thread on the Palace board. There don't seem to be any Palace fans pointing out the list of 'facts' is in fact bollox. We get posts here from Albion fans with rose tinted glasses, but there's normally an equal number of realistic fans adding balance. It seems that all those Palace fans really think we consider ourselves one of the 9 biggest clubs in the country - bizarre.

 

[Davemania]

Despite what people might say, some fans anyway, im loving this rekindling of an old rivalry. I dont even really know why i distaste the palace so much just grew up with it and now perhaps too long away from being in a similar position in the leagues, but that time has passed, things are about to change brrr hah hah

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

the Championship isn't a league to be taken lightly - many a club in your position have come up and fallen straight back through the trap door, for every Norwich fairytale there are the far more plentiful Scunthorpe and Peterborough horror stories.

You might add Brighton 2002/03 and 2004-06 in with Peterborough and Scunthorpe. The difference-both on and off the pitch- between then and now though is massive.

Whilst it's unrealistic to expect us to 'do a norwich', I think it's as unrealistic to expect us to do a scunthorpe or peterborough. The club at the moment has that most elusive of qualities: momentum. And while Bloom is chairman and Poyet the manager it's going to continue.

Poyet has created a team where the sum is greater than its individual components. He is a manager who improves players and gets the very best out of them. Last season we walked league one with a squad that contained the likes of Baz, Battipiedi, Holroyd, Sandaza none of whom are league one players. We go into this season having jettisoned the dross from the squad and added genuine quality(whether you think we overpaid for it or not). With several weeks and more signings expected there is no reason to think that we won't have a decent and balanced championship squad come August 6th.

As for the centre of defence and midfield being our weak points. I think in a way you may have a point. I think our defensive solidity was built as much on the fact that we dominated possession and games last year as it was on any inherent rock-like nature of the back four. In the (few) games when the midfield didn't have control it felt almost inevitable that we would concede. Having said that the defence was still a very good defence. Obviously in the championship our midfield will not always have their own way like they did last year which in turn will lead to the back four being put under more pressure. Which will probably mean one or two hidings next year and the dropping of a number of points. However, the midfield and defence are more than good enough to hold their own in the majority of matches and with the attacking options we have that should lead to us winning more than we lose which will see us sitting comfortably in (hopefully upper...)mid table by the end of the season.

Of our two clubs, and putting the rivalry and bias aside, I can honestly say that I would rather be in our position than yours. Do you honestly feel the same about palace?

 

[Davemania]

You might add Brighton 2002/03 and 2004-06 in with Peterborough and Scunthorpe. The difference-both on and off the pitch- between then and now though is massive.

Whilst it's unrealistic to expect us to 'do a norwich', I think it's as unrealistic to expect us to do a scunthorpe or peterborough. The club at the moment has that most elusive of qualities: momentum. And while Bloom is chairman and Poyet the manager it's going to continue.

Poyet has created a team where the sum is greater than its individual components. He is a manager who improves players and gets the very best out of them. Last season we walked league one with a squad that contained the likes of Baz, Battipiedi, Holroyd, Sandaza none of whom are league one players. We go into this season having jettisoned the dross from the squad and added genuine quality(whether you think we overpaid for it or not). With several weeks and more signings expected there is no reason to think that we won't have a decent and balanced championship squad come August 6th.

As for the centre of defence and midfield being our weak points. I think in a way you may have a point. I think our defensive solidity was built as much on the fact that we dominated possession and games last year as it was on any inherent rock-like nature of the back four. In the (few) games when the midfield didn't have control it felt almost inevitable that we would concede. Having said that the defence was still a very good defence. Obviously in the championship our midfield will not always have their own way like they did last year which in turn will lead to the back four being put under more pressure. Which will probably mean one or two hidings next year and the dropping of a number of points. However, the midfield and defence are more than good enough to hold their own in the majority of matches and with the attacking options we have that should lead to us winning more than we lose which will see us sitting comfortably in (hopefully upper...)mid table by the end of the season.

Of our two clubs, and putting the rivalry and bias aside, I can honestly say that I would rather be in our position than yours. Do you honestly feel the same about palace?

Well said!

 

[Tummy Burger]

Not sure why, but I just had a read through the thread from our friends at Palace. I actually don't mind a bit of banter, and we are never going to be complimentary about each other. Having said that, they really are without doubt the least knowledgable football fans in the country. To be that brainless actually must take quite some effort.
This has been the longest pre season in known history , and I like many of us cannot wait to get started and give those some of this

 

[Notters]

Adam El-Abd I see to be a cumbersome, clumsy player who whilst strong in the tackle lacks real anticipation and an ability to read the game. Greer is a good leader but prone to the odd moment of madness.

This'll be the El-Abd that Poyet thinks reads the game better than anyone? I think I know who I trust.

 

[Caveman]

Will our friends in Caravans be laughing at the latest award our fantastic stadium has been given...

Brighton and Hove Albion | News | Stadium | Stadium | Amex Stadium Wins Top Award

Probably not! Jealous you see!!

 

[Philzo-93]

I think I met him...he had green eyes!

 

[Surrey_Albion]

Thjis Guy summed it up I think

It is a laugh alright, you don't see how desperate you all look.

You've really got nothing, consigned to the changing of the guard, lost in the realisation your free credit days are over and with it your artificial position above the now vastly superior BHA.

So what to do?

Desperate JCL poster campaigns, shake the bushes for a couple more mugs willing to pay good money tor dross with a teenage carnival in the corner.

More threads about the joke with the Amex seats some 8 weeks after the event, links to prince bauben going to watford, A player Brighton never bid for or offered any contract to is excited news on the BBS, even though its vastly different to the very much desired, coveted and pursued Earnshaw who blew you out.

scrabbling around trying to find or create any old mud you can because you know your day is done is the new daily passtime.

References to the architects design of our roof? A non story is good ammunition for desperate people.

You think the jokes on us.......... well the jokes not on BHA, the jokes not on you.

The joke is you

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Will our friends in Caravans be laughing at the latest award our fantastic stadium has been given...

Brighton and Hove Albion | News | Stadium | Stadium | Amex Stadium Wins Top Award

Probably not! Jealous you see!!

Another award confirming The Amex is considered by all and sundry to be in the top 10 football stadia in the country.

 

[little al]

Will our friends in Caravans be laughing at the latest award our fantastic stadium has been given...

Brighton and Hove Albion | News | Stadium | Stadium | Amex Stadium Wins Top Award

Probably not! Jealous you see!!

Well done. How many goals will that get you?

 

[little al]

Another award confirming The Amex is considered by all and sundry to be in the top 10 football stadia in the country.

Apart from the fact it is (in relation) the size of a wendy house.

 

[SeagullinExile]

I've seen and know enough of the likes of Greer, El-Abd, Dicker and Bridcutt (amongst others) to have a reasonable idea of how they might fare in the Championship. I think they're your weakest areas and you are more than likely to lose games as a result of this. I like Calderon though, classy player.

Bridcutt will be a revelation next season...mark my words. An outstanding prospect, who under Gus, will ONLY go from strength to strength.